Project Summary/Abstract Project Title: Designing a State Program in Louisiana to Enhance Produce Safety in Preparation of Implementation of the FDA Produce Safety Rule Project Description: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) required the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish and publish a science-based, preventive rule to provide minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of produce by domestic and foreign farms. The model?s concept: Focusing on outcomes, use the International Standards Organization (ISO) eight guiding principles of quality management to shape a program around five core work areas (Education, outreach, training and assistance; Application, identification, categorization and risk profiling of industry; Application of regulatory scheme; Evaluation of success; implementation of improvements)needed to implement the Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Louisiana is committed to follow the rules to make sure that the produce safety rules are implemented to ensure safe food for citizens of Louisiana. Project goals: The overall goal of this project is to establish or enhance Louisiana?s Produce Safety Programs to encourage the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables and to promote compliance with the requirements of FDA?s Regulation referred to as the Produce Safety Rule. Expected outcomes: We anticipate that the successful implementation of this project will result in increased implementation of on-farm food safety practices by small, medium and large produce farms in the state of Louisiana. Furthermore, it will develop a state-federal partnership for inspection, compliance and enforcement of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule as envision by the law. Objectives: 1. Conduct a self-assessment to evaluate jurisdiction?s produce commodities covered by the Produce Safety Rule. 2. Establish a mechanism to develop and maintain an inventory of farms subject to the Produce Safety Rule and/or applicable State produce safety regulation. 3. Invest in the program's infrastructure through the procurement of equipment and the acquisition of human resources in a fiscally responsible approach. 4. Evaluate existing statutory and/or regulatory authority related to produce safety, and a determination of the changes, to establish, operate and maintain a Produce Safety Program that is supportive of the requirements in FDA?s Produce Safety Regulation. 5. Provide for an educated and informed farming community that will result in knowledge of the Produce Safety Regulation and how to apply the regulation in a manner that will facilitate compliance by the farm. 6. Develop a multi-year strategy that outlines the jurisdiction?s plan to carry out all previously listed objectives Budget: $3,543,589 for 5 years for competition A and B